The WHO and the European Union recognise that poor nutrition is a leading cause of the major non-communicable diseases, including CVD, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and contributes substantially to the global burden of disease, death and disability. Therefore, it is no surprise that Rayner and Scarborough report that, in the UK, food-related ill health is responsible for approximately 10% of morbidity and mortality and costs the National Health Service approximately £6 billion annually. In addition, the diets of those on low incomes may contribute significantly to health inequalities, as they can fall considerably short of the latest nutritional recommendations. Read more..